Fuel cell system with thermally integrated combustor and corrugated foil reformer

• US 20060228598A1
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
• Inventors: Lyle, William David, Perry, Martin, Venkataraman, Swaminathan, Whittenberger, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,524,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/425
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1293 Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04022 Heating by combustion
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04268 Heating of fuel cells during the start-up of the fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0625 in a modular combined reactor/fuel cell structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a reformer which is thermally integrated with the fuel cell stack. The system may also include a combustor which is thermally integrated with the reformer. The reformer is a reformation catalyst containing channel bounded by at least one corrugated foil wall. The reformer is adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to the fuel cell stack.

Claims

1. A fuel cell system, comprising:

a fuel cell stack; and

a reformer which is thermally integrated with the fuel cell stack by being located adjacent to the fuel cell stack;

wherein;

the reformer comprises a reformation catalyst containing channel separated from the fuel cell stack by a wall comprising a first corrugated foil; and

the reformer is adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to the fuel cell stack.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a combustor which is thermally integrated with the reformer, wherein the reformer is located between the fuel cell stack and the combustor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the combustor is separated from the reformer by a wall comprising the first corrugated foil or a second corrugated foil different from the first corrugated foil.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the reformer is separated from the fuel cell stack by the first corrugated foil;

the reformer is separated from the combustor by the second corrugated foil; and

the reformer channel is located between the first and the second corrugated foils.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the fuel cell stack comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack; and

the fuel cell stack, the combustor and the reformer are located in a manifold housing.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the reformer channel comprises a space between the first corrugated foil and the second corrugated foil having a width of 1 mm or less such that the hydrocarbon fuel is forced to make a zig-zag path through the reformer channel.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the reformation catalyst is coated on the first corrugated foil and on the second corrugated foil in the reformer channel.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the reformation catalyst is coated on a third foil located between the first corrugated foil and the second corrugated foil.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein:

a cathode exhaust of the fuel cell stack is adapted to heat the reformer; and

the first corrugated foil separates the reformer from a cathode exhaust manifold of the fuel cell stack.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein the first and the second corrugated foils comprise metal foils having a thickness of between 0.004 and 0.01 inches.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the combustor comprises:

a combustor chamber containing a combustion catalyst;

a combustor fuel inlet conduit adapted to provide a fuel into the combustor chamber, the fuel inlet conduit comprising a pipe extending substantially vertically through the combustor chamber and containing pinholes;

a combustor oxidizer inlet conduit adapted to provide an oxidizer into the combustor chamber, the oxidizer inlet conduit comprising an oxidizer pipe formed as an annulus around the combustor fuel inlet conduit at least outside the combustor chamber; and

a wire mesh located in the combustor chamber, and which is adapted to improve fuel distribution in the combustor chamber.

12. A fuel cell system, comprising:

a fuel cell stack; and

a reformer which is thermally integrated with the fuel cell stack by being located adjacent to the fuel cell stack;

wherein;

the reformer is adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to the fuel cell stack; and

the reformer comprises a reformation catalyst containing foil located in a reformer channel bounded by one or more walls of the reformer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the reformer channel is separated from the fuel cell stack by a first corrugated foil.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a combustor which is thermally integrated with the reformer, wherein the reformer is located between the fuel cell stack and the combustor.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

a second corrugated foil separates the reformer from the combustor; and

the reformation catalyst containing foil comprises a corrugated foil which is located between the first and the second corrugated foils, such that the hydrocarbon fuel is forced to make a zig-zag path through the reformer channel.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the fuel cell stack comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack; and

the fuel cell stack, the combustor and the reformer are located in a manifold housing.

17. A fuel cell system, comprising:

a fuel cell stack;

a reformer adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to the fuel cell stack; and

a combustor which is thermally integrated with the reformer, wherein the combustor comprises;

a combustor chamber containing a combustion catalyst;

a combustor fuel inlet conduit adapted to provide a fuel into the combustor chamber; and

a combustor oxidizer inlet conduit adapted to provide an oxidizer into the combustor chamber, the oxidizer inlet conduit comprising an oxidizer pipe formed as an annulus around the combustor fuel inlet conduit at least outside the combustor chamber.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the fuel inlet conduit comprises a pipe extending substantially vertically through the combustor chamber and containing pinholes.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a wire mesh located in the combustor chamber, and which is adapted to improve fuel distribution in the combustor chamber.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the reformer is thermally integrated with the fuel cell stack;

the reformer comprises a reformation catalyst containing channel between corrugated foil walls; and

the fuel cell stack comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack.

21. A fuel cell system, comprising:

a fuel cell stack;

a reformer adapted to reform a hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen containing reaction product and to provide the reaction product to the fuel cell stack; and

a combustor which is thermally integrated with the reformer, wherein the combustor comprises;

a combustor chamber containing a combustion catalyst;

a combustor fuel inlet conduit adapted to provide a fuel into the combustor chamber, the fuel inlet conduit comprising a pipe extending substantially vertically through the combustor chamber and containing pinholes; and

a combustor oxidizer inlet conduit adapted to provide an oxidizer into the combustor chamber.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the combustor oxidizer inlet conduit comprises an oxidizer pipe formed as an annulus around the combustor fuel inlet conduit at least outside the combustor chamber.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a wire mesh located in the combustor chamber, and which is adapted to improve fuel distribution in the combustor chamber.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the reformer is thermally integrated with the fuel cell stack;

the reformer comprises a reformation catalyst containing channel between corrugated foil walls; and

the fuel cell stack comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack.